How do you describe your ideal partner in Korean? In this lesson, you’ll learn eight expressions for talking about personality, communication, and things you have in common. You’ll also learn how to use -(으)ㄴ and -는 to describe a person or thing before a noun. Read the examples below, then use the PDF and video to keep practicing.
Vocabulary
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 다정하다 | be warm and affectionate |
| 유머 감각이 있다 | have a sense of humor |
| 성실하다 | be diligent and reliable |
| 같이 있으면 편하다 | feel comfortable around someone |
| 말이 잘 통하다 | communicate well with each other |
| 마음이 넓다 | be understanding and forgiving |
| 연락이 잘 되다 | be easy to reach |
| 저랑 ___이/가 비슷하다 | have a similar ___ to mine |
Grammar: -(으)ㄴ, -는
Describing a Person or Thing Before a Noun
In this lesson, -(으)ㄴ and -는 are used before nouns to describe a person or thing. Use -(으)ㄴ with most adjectives to describe a current state or characteristic, and -는 with verbs to describe a present or habitual action.
With regular adjective stems, use -ㄴ after a vowel and -은 after a consonant. If the stem ends in ㄹ, drop ㄹ and add -ㄴ. Verb stems ending in ㄹ also drop ㄹ before -는.
있다, 없다, and adjectives ending in 있다 or 없다 take -는 when describing a present state. Other irregular stems may also change when an ending is added.
Example Sentences
저는 다정한 아빠가 될 거예요.
I’m going to be an affectionate dad.
저는 거짓말을 잘하는 사람이 싫어요.
I don’t like people who lie a lot.
In the first example, 다정한 describes the kind of dad the speaker wants to be. In the second, 거짓말을 잘하는 describes a person’s habit of lying.
Download the Practice PDF
Want to practice these words and expressions? Download the ideal type worksheet for vocabulary, grammar, and exercises. Describe people you know and talk about the qualities you value in a partner.
7. 이상형_은_는[Download the PDF]
Watch the Video Lesson
Watch the lesson alongside this post, then come back to the vocabulary and example sentences whenever you need a quick review.

